What qualities of focus are required to be a creative and effective person? How do dancers attend to the space within and around them, using focus to direct the viewer’s attention and to give shape to their environment? Let’s start with four haiku poems I wrote to distill qualities of focus as introduction to the […]
“Time is a matter of how long the duration between two events takes to achieve itself.” (The Nikolais/Louis Dance Technique* p.176) In “real time,” we have just had St. Patrick’s Day, are looking ahead at the end of March and Lent, and here in Cologne it is very much spring. Daylight savings has already sprung […]
I am realizing that there are two ways to look at my approach to achieving my goals, especially when it comes to today’s topic of physical fitness and training: there is the positive interpretation, or “efficient,” and the negative way, or “lazy.” But it doesn’t matter how my behavior is interpreted, as long as it […]
“Whatever you stockpile–be it diamonds, big houses, fame, money, proficiency at advanced yoga poses, or less flashy things, you will inevitably encounter two certainties. First […], all will be lost. Second, these things, in and of themselves, will never satisfy your cravings, which are expressions of your fear and emptiness.” -Judith Lasater in Living Your […]
This month I am celebrating Black History Month, Valentine’s Day, and self-proclaimed “Self-Love Month.” In order to love who we are, we have to first learn about who that is, then accept what we find and make the most of it. I have found that creating a “Powerful Portfolio” of my personal strengths, preferences, and […]
“These are very charming poses, which doubtless owe their inspiration to antique painting and sculpture. The name arabesque applied to the flowing ornament of Moorish invention is exactly suited to express those graceful lines which are their counterpart in the art of dancing.” – Cyril W. Beaumont and Stanislas Idzikowski in The Cecchetti Method of […]
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes are happening, from the inauguration of a new president in the US, vaccinations coming out for the deadly pandemic that has swept the planet, a new calendar year, all of us having had to radically change our lives in some way, recently, if not in every way. The change process is an area I’m […]
Having worked with hundreds of high school, college, adult and graduate students in ballet and modern dance classes, I have learned to balance the stated objectives of the dance course with the expectations and personal goals of the individual students. We all come to dance (or whatever artistic practices we pursue) for diverse reasons, and […]
Here I am, officially challenging you to join me in daily meditation to create lasting positive effects in our lives this year! Start with just 1-5 minutes per day, then increase by only one minute per day each month to experience transformation. My goal is to get from my current 12 minutes of meditation to […]
In this blog, I’m sharing my theme for 2021 and the goals and projects I’ll tackle in the coming year! This will be my final blog of 2020, and I’ll pick up in January with goal-setting and achievement for dancers, yoga and dance techniques, and more. Please let me know what topics you’d most like […]
